Method of and apparatus for compressing fluid



June 26, 1923.

Original Filed Jan. 16 1919 INVENTOH Patented June 26, 19.23.

STATS ROBERT SUCZEK, OF PI-IiLABELPHIA, MANUFACTURING COMRANY, TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR To C. H. WHEELER 0.73 PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- Mnrnon or AND nrrn earns nor. ooiurnnssrne FLUID.

Application filed January 1c, 1919, Serial no. 271,362. Rene ed May a, 1923.

To csZZ whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, Ronsnr Sooznn, a citizen of the Czecho-Slovak Republic, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented cer" tain new and useful Improvements in Moth ods of and Apparatus for Compressing Fluid, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a method of and apparatus for compressinpgfiuid. such as air,

gas, vapor, or amixture of them, ejector action, that is. by the action of motive fluid, such as steam or other elastic fluid under pressure, which is allowed to'expand and entrain the fluid to be compressed, the mixtureof the fluids travelling at highvelocity losing its kinetic energy and increasing' inpres sure. My invention relates more particu larly to a method of and apparatus for com pressing fluid in a plurality of stages by action thereon of motive fluidin one stage, the condensable fluid from that stage belng condensed and the compressed fluid, as air, being acted upon in a later stage to further raise its My invention resides in a. method of compressing elastic fluid, air, which consists in raising its pressure-by ejector action of condensable motive fluid, as steam. passing the mixture of air and steamthrough a passage or a plurality of-passages. as through a tube or a plurality of tubes, preferably so proportioned as to cause the mixture to pass therethrougrh at substantial velocity, condensing the steam from the mixture while so passing through the passage or passages,

and subjecting the air to further compression by any suitable method, preferably by further ejector action.

My invention resides also in apparatus comprising an eject-or delivering the motire fluid and compressed fluid, as steam and air, to a condenser comprising a passageor a plurality of passages, a tube or plurality of tubes, through which the mixture of steam and air is passed, and means for each ing the exteriors of the passage or passages to cause condensation of the steam while passing therethrough. My invention comprehends also in combination with such appressure, as by furtherejector ac paratus means for delivering the air deliveredlfrom the condenser to a further pump of any suitable type for further raising. its pressure, such pump being preferably, however, another ejector,

My invention resides in the method and apparatus hereinafter described.

For an illustration of one of many forms my apparatus may take, and for an understanding of my method, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig.-1 is a vertical sectional view, some parts in. elevation. through structure embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 1. 1 Fig. 3 1s a sectlonal view taken onthe line B B of Fig. 1. a I

Referring to the drawing. E is an ejector of any suitable structure or type, and in the example here illustrated is a tubular ejector comprising the motive fluid expanding nozzles N, the tubular convergingdiverging 1 diffuser D. and the suction chamber A havmg the suction port A through which enters the air or other fluid to be compressed. Steam or other suitable motive fluid is supplied to the nozzles N throughthe pipe a controlled by valve 7) anddelivering into the chamber (7 with which the nozzles N communicate.

The box or chest is divided into two compartments or chambers, d and e by the diaphragm or partition 7. The chambers (l and e have a wall formed by the plate or tube sheet held between the box or chest B and one end ofthe condenser shell C. Integral with or attached to the tube sheet 9 is the horizontally extending; plate or battle 2' terminating short of the right end of the condenser shell C. The plate 7:, as shown in Fig. 3, divides the interior of the condenser shell into practically-two halves or compartments. In these compartments is disposed a plurality of tubes 7', each of which at its one end extends through the tube sheet 9 into communication with the chamber fl and at its other endextends through the .tube sheet 9 into communication with the chamber 6. These tubes are expanded or otherwise secured fluid-tight ,in the tube sheet 9, as well understood in the condenser art.

. and return horizontally intocommunication with thechamber 6', Cooling water enters the lower compartment of the condenser shell through the passage 74 in the enlargement It on the'shell C. It surrounds and cools the tubes j and flows toward the right through the lower compartment, then up-' wardly and to the left through the upper compartment and leaves by the passage m through a similar enlargement hen the upperfside ofythe condenser shell C. The direction of flow of the cooling water is in "both compartments counter to the flow within the tubes 7'.

In the chflmber c. is a vertically'extending diaphragm or partition n which falls short of the partition'f, leaving a passage 0' above its top'edge. The partition n in effect divides the chamber 6 into the two compartments 79 andg between which there is a passage rthrough thelower end of the member it. With the bottom of the compartment g1 communicates the condensate outlet is, and w th the upper part ofthe compartment 7) communicates: the'outlet t delivering a r-1n dlvided streams into thepassages u deliveringintothe suction chamber A of a secondre ector E preierably {and here shown asofatype producing'a disk-shaped jet of motiveilfluid received into surrounding annular diffuser. The e ector E .may be of any suitable,type, -as a tubular ejector. but,

is preferably'ofa type disclosed in my TLS. Patent No. 1,282,595, dated October 22, 19l8. In the ejector E the nozzle structure N Jreceii es motive fluid, as steam, from the chamber aiwhichreceives it through the valve 10 connected to any suitable. source of live or exhaust steam, the ,SlJGQLDLGDtGI'Hlg through the valve w being delivered both to the chamber o and-to the'pipe a. The

nozzle structure N expands the steam into I .disk-shaped jet, which entrains air from the suction chamber A'Hthe, mixture delivered into anysuitable surrounding annular diffuser passage D ,,in-whichthepressure is raised and the mixture:deliverediinto the discharge port 3], y y Asdescribed, the structure maybe considered to consist of multi-stage ejector apparatus with an interstage condenser which the mixture of steam and air from the first stage is passed through passages or tubes whichare ,long as compared with theirdiameters. WVhile I prefer an ejector in the second stage my invention comprehen'ds alsogthe use in the second stage of any typ f P mp, a a e pr eat ne, a y,

the surrounding discharge passage w haying trainment, wet or dry or hydraulic air pump, or any other suitable type.

Themixture of air and steam, .at higher pressure than the air entering at A is de livered from the first stage diffuser through the passage F in box or chest B to the chamber (Z and thence passes through'the tubes j. The total cross section of the passages of the tubes j is relatively small, whereby by utilizing part of the pressure imparted by the ejector E the mixture'of steam and air from chamber d travels at relatively high velocity through them. By way of example merely, each tube j has a length ten or more times its internal diameter. This high velocity is of advantage in that it prevents collection of air upon the inner surfaces of ferred'through the "walls'of the tubes to the surrounding cooling water entering at hand leaving at m.

As the mixture progresses through the tubes 7', the steam is more and more com- ;pletely'condensed and is delivered as water or lcondensate into the compartment q of chamber 0, and is withdrawn through or fiowsoutof the condensate outlet 3.

Because of progressive condensation of -.steam within the tubesj the Volume avail able for ,occupancyby the air increases-provgressively from the inlet ,to the outletiot tubesv j. accordingly the air velocity diminishes from the entry-to the outletoithe tubes. But notwithstandingthis, the velocity of the air through the tubes is quite high, particularly soon. after entering'the tubes 7' from chamber 4 Due to the high velocity of the fluid within the condenser tubes; thereis afall of pressure between chambers (Z and also that vthe ,pressure of the air leaving the difiuser D of the first stage ejector E isrreduced .by the time it reaches .tl e chamber e ill-Which,-l1QWGYGI, the pressure 1S materially higher than the suction pressure at A}.

Notwithstanding. this drop, or vloss in pres- I Sure in tllfitillOES j,,economy in total amount of motive fluid arsed in both stages E and E is effectedbecause of the-con densation ot the motive fluid from the first-stage, which leaves only air to becon pressedby tl e. sec

end stage pump or by the ejector E x The air ,deliyered by the tubes into chamber 6 1 separates ,from the water ClSliV- cred into sa d chamber from the condenser and passes ;over the partition or tubes 7' M battle a through the passage 0 into the con1- partment 92, where any further water which separates fromthe air collects on the bot tom of the compartment y? and-flows back into compartment ,g through the passage r, and passes out through the condensate pasr g stress s-f m a the-tenor l f) A41.

compartment 2) through the passage 25 into mode or means, in the example illustrated by an ejector, which delivers the air at outlet 3 at atmospheric pressure or any other desirable pressure higher than the suction pressure A My apparatus and method may be employed to compress air or the like from any desired pressure at, below or above atmospheric pressure to a higherpressure. My apparatus and method may be employed in any suitable environment, but finds a large iart of its application to removal of air or uncondensable vapors from condensers of steam from turbines, engines or other 'SOUICES.

For example. it may be desired to maintain in the condenser avacuum of 29 inches, referred the inch barometer. This means that the air enters the suction port A of the first stage at a pressure of pract ally 1 inch mercury absolute; and is delivered at 1 at atmospheric pressure or at a pressuremore or less above or below flllfilOS pheric pressure, depending upon the region into which the air is discharged from the port 'lVhen so. raised to atmospheric pressure, it has attained a pressure o'f prac tically 30 inches of mercury, and the total. ratio or": compression over both stages in series .is practically 30. i i

The ratio of compression in the first stage ejector E as compared to the ratio of coinpression in the second stage pump orejector may be anything desired. For example, the ratio of compression in the first stage may be smaller than the ratio of compres sion in the s cond stage pump of any suit: able character, whether operating upon the ejector principle or some other principle. Ur the ratio of compression in the first stage in I be and preferably is higher thaniu the second stage, particularly when the second stage uunpis an ejector either of the typeindicated or of any other suitable type. In such case a relatively great amount or" EHO ti PGLUTKMS a relatively large part of the total work in compressing the air to a relatively high pressure. Ibis large amount of motive aid. however, condensed out in'the intercondenser, leaving the second stage rther compression of the air with. re a .ely aller compression ratio; and 'iller cons inption ofmotive fluid. The niiotive fluid consumption in the second stage relatively small because not only is the ill stage motive fluid absent, but the air has theietofore been compressed through a la e part or its total range. of compression.

i urtherinore, whatever the type of second pump, whether or not an ejector, the fact that the-air as it isxdischarged appar e fluid is employed in the first stage and from i the interstage condenser has been coolerhits ('lensity isgreater, thatis, its voltime of the second stage pump or e ector.

l Vlule in the example oi the apparatus embodying my invention as illustrated in the drawingthe ejector-s are disposed one vertically aborc the other, with the condens r extending: in a substantially horizontal direction. it will be understood that my invention comprehends structure whose parts are otherwise disposed with respect to each other. i l

liowerer, the separation iietween the first and second stage ejectors, or between the first stage ector and the s rondslupge pump, is less where the con... ser tubes erztend laterally as illustrated. rind this arrangement of the condenser tubes is preferred m'er that where. also comprehended wits my invention, they extend in the same eral. direction as the direction of alignment between the first stage ejector and the second stage pump or ejector. Where the first ejector and the second stage pump orv ejector are to be relativelyclose together n'ieasured vertically, employment of vertical condenser tubes would necessitate. in order to reduce the overall vertical height of the is, employment of relatively short condenser tubes which, though comprehended within my invention. are not a preferred structure. Relatively long passage or passages in the condenser with small total cross sectional area is or are preferred in order that, previously explained, the ve-,

locity ofthe fluidthrough the condenser tubesshall be high enough to prevent col= lection of" air,or 'lormat on or air pockets, or to prevent air b "line; and to 'i'a -ilitatc rapid hoat'transiei' into the cooling water. lly the employment oi such long passage or passages not only is the elocity beneficially lii l.. as descril a, but the time of' contact with the water cooled walls of the tube or tubes is lengthened, contril'uiting to complete condensation of raporsfi rom the first stage ejector. p l

In. accordance with my methodand apparatus, the mixture of steam and air from the first stage is passed to the second stage pump or ejector while confined within the condenser tubes. the cooling water flowing: around the tubes in the interspace between them, as distinguished from the ca where the mixture of fluids from the first stage is delivered into an interstage condenser of the jet type or the type in which the cooling water flows through condenser tubes. and the mixture from the first stage contacts the outer surfaces of such tubes in the inter space between them. In this latter type of structure air pockets may be formed, that is,

the interstage condenser may become airis less, requiring less work on the part of the condenser and in some cases causing F the secondstagepump'or ejectorsof circular cross section, it will be understood that my invention is in no wise limited to such shape 01 c1 oss section, and that any other suitable cross section may be employed, as for example rectangular, triangular, etc. in such case again it is preferred that the length of the passage shall be great as compared to the smaller or smallest dimension entering into the determination of the cross section. For example, if the passage. have a cross section which is a rectangle whose length is twelve times its width, the length of the passage is preferably ten or more times the smaller dimensiomto wit, the width.

It will therefore be understood in connectionwith'the appended claims that the diameter. of passage, therein referred to is its internal diameter if of circular cross section, and when of other than circular cross section the term diameter refers to the diamete'r of the largest circle which can be inscribed within the figure of the cross section. Thus, in the foregoing example the diameter of the rectangular cross section is its width or smaller dimension.

The passage or passages j is or are preferably ofsuch length as compared to cross section that the mixture from the first stage ejector moves rapidly therethrough under a suitably great diili'erence of pressure between the entry to and exit from said passage or passages. I

f What I claim is:

1. The method of compressing an uncon-- densable elastic fluid ina plurality of stages, which. consists in ejecting the same by condensa-ble motive fluid to a higher pressure, passing the mixture in divided streams at high velocity through a plurality of continuous passages which are long as compared to their, diameter, ex acting heat from the Lfiuid in stages, which consists in ejecting the same by motive fluid to a higher pressure, passing the mixture through a plurality of continuous passages which are long com pared with their diameter, extracting heat from the walls of said passages to condense said motive fluid, ejecting the elastic'fiuid by motive fiuid-itoqa higher pressure, and

maintainingadifference in pressure between the ends of said passages 'sufiicient to ,cause said mixture to pass 'therethrough at high velocity. j I

Combined v ejector-condenser structure comprising ejectors, aninterstage condenser comprising a plurality of continuous tubes extending forwardly and backwardly and connecting thedischarge ofone ejector with the suction of another ejector, and a balfle betweenthe, forwardly and backwardly extending portions of said tubes.

43. Multistage ejector-condenser structure comprising an ector, a chamber into which it discharges, a second chamber, a plurality of continuous tubes connecting said chambers, and a second ejector having its suction connected to said second chamber.

5. Multistage ejector-condenser structure comprising an ejector, a condenser'comprising' a continuous passage connected to the discharge of said ejector, means for extracting heat from the walls of said passage and a second ejector comprising nozzle structure for producing a disk-shaped jet and a surrounding annular difi'user receiving fluid from said passage.

6. lVlulti-stage ejector-condenser structure comprising a tubular ejector, an ejector associated in series therewith and comprising nozzle structure for producing a disk-shaped jet and a surrounding.annular:diffusenand' a condenser disposed between said'ejectors and comprising a plurality of continuous passages into which said first ejector discharges and from which said second ejector.

receives elastic fluid.

7. Multi-stage ejectorrcondenser structure comprising an ejector, a. condensercompris ing a plurality of continuous passages extending forwardly and backwardly and con necting'the discharge of said ejector with the suction of another ejector, a baffle disposed between the forwardly and backwardly extending portions of said passages, a jacket surrounding said passagesfand means for passing a cooling medium into said jacket adjacent the second named ejector and out of said jacketadjace'nt said first named ejector. I

8. Combined ejectoi condenser. structure comprising an ejector and a pump, a chamber receiving the discharge from said ejector, a second chamber having a partition therein dividing the same into compartments, a connectionfrom one of said compartments to said pump, a liquid discharge from another of said compartments, a plurality of continuous tubes connecting said first n'amed chamber with said last named compartment, and means for'extracting heat from the walls of said tube.

9Q Multi-stage ejector-condenser structure comprising an ejector, a chamber, connected to the discharge of said ejector, a second chamber, a wall in said second chamber d1- viding the same into compartments, passages through said wall connecting said compartments, a second e ector having its suct1on connected to one of said compartments,

' and a plurality of U-shaped tubes connecting another of said compartments with said first named chamber. 1

' 10. Fluid compressing apparatus comprising a chamber, an ejector delivering to said chamber, a second ejector, a second chamber, a wall in said second chamber dividing the same into two compartments, passages through said wall connecting the same at top and bottom, a passage connecting one of said compartments with said second ejector, a liquid drain connected to the other of said compartments, and an interstage condenser comprising a plurality of continuous passages connecting said first named chamber with said last named com: partment.

ll. Multi-stage ejector-condenser structure comprising a chamber, an ejector mounted on said chamber and delivering thereto, a second chamber, a wall in said sec- 0nd chamber dividing the same into two compartments, passages through said wall connecting the same at top and bottom, a

second, ejector supported upon said second chamber and communicating with one of said compartments, a liquid drain connected to the other of said compartments, a plurality or" continuous tubes connecting said first named chamber with said other of said compartments, and a shell surrounding said tubes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afi'ixed my signature this 15th day of January, 1919.

ROBERT SUCZEK. 

